On the streets of Kabul, Afghans expressed mixed feelings about U.S. troops’ continuing presence in their country. Some said the pact would help solve the nation’s many woes.
“Signing the BSA is in the interest of Afghanistan. It will prevent civil war,” said Abdul Wahid Frogh, 28, a government employee. “From an economic perspective, the BSA will help Afghanistan attract aid and financial cooperation. As well, the BSA assures Afghan people that the international community will not let us go forward on our own, and this assurance will led to an economic boom.”
But others were concerned about a long-term presence of U.S. troops and said Afghanistan had no other choice but to sign the pact.
“If we don’t sign the BSA, our forces won’t be paid. If our forces are not paid, they don’t fight Taliban. If they don’t fight, the Taliban will be back,” said Mohammad Sediq, 41, a schoolteacher. “But the presence of foreign troops under the BSA shouldn’t be for a long time, because Afghans can’t tolerate foreign forces here for a long time.”
Sharif Hassan contributed to this report.
Article Appeared @http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/us-afghanistan-sign-security-pact-to-allow-american-forces-to-remain-in-country/2014/09/30/48f555ce-4879-11e4-a046-120a8a855cca_story.html?hpid=z9